"Those that ignore history are bound to repeat it". These words echo throughout history. Baltimore Lutherans should be aware of historical facts surrounding their mentor Martin Luther and his principles. Many Jews in Germany were not only culturally assimilated, but baptized christians. The Nazi's drive to push out of German public life, also forces many out of the German church. Classified a s"Non Aryans" who publicly converted to the christian faith meant nothing since the Nazi's agenda was purely racial. Gentilic makeup and ancestral bloodline was all that mattered. The relationships between the Germans, Jews, and Christians, goes back to Martin Luther (commonly united Germaness and Christianity). Unquestioned was his authority in this belief of the German christian; which was later used by the Nazi's for the deception of many. Confusing and disturbing was Luther's legacy towards the Jews. Towards the end of his life, things were said about the Jews, and taken on their own merit causing him to be classied years later as an "anti semite" in certain circles. Exploiting these last writings to the utmost , the Nazi's represented Luther's definitive taken on the matter - contrary to what was said earlier in his life. Earlier in his career his attitude towards the Jews was exemplary for his day - didn't like how the christians treated the jews. His question in 1519 was why the jews wanted to be converted to christianity when "cruelty and enimity we wreak on them - that in our behavior towards them we less resemble christians than beasts?" In his essay four years later "That Jesus Christ was Born a Jew",; he stated that "If I had been a Jew and had seen such dolts and blockheads govern and teach the christian faith, I would sooner have become a hog than christian. Being dealth with as dogs rather than human beings, the Jews were derided and their property seized. Luther believing that the Jews could be converted to the christian faith (he had hoped they would) was changed by the Nazi's to say that being a Jew and a christian were mutually exclusive. As with the teachings of Paul, Luther gave them the first fruits of the inheritance, before it was meant for the gentiles. His optimism didn't last long during his adult life he suffered constipation, hemorrhoids, a cataract in one eye, and a condition in the inner ear called Menieres Disease which results in dizziness, fainting spells, and Tinnitus. He also suffered mood swings and depression. As his health declined various things set him off; 1) called a congregation who sang anemically "tone deaf sluggards" and stormed out, 2) called Henry Vlll effeminate and blasted his theological opponents as "agents of the devil" and "whore mongers", 3) called the pope at the time "the Anti Christ" and a "A brothel keeper above all brothel keepers and all lewdness, including that which is not to be named", 4) blasted Catholic church's regulations on marriage and make accusations of their being "a merchant selling vulvas, genitals, and pudenda", and various other remarks throughout the ages. Starting in 1528 the troubles began after a large meal of kosher food where he suffered diarrhea - he mentioned that the Jews had tried to poison him. During his last decade, he was making enemies everywhere, writing a vile treatise "Von der Juden und Iren Lugen" (On the Jews and their Lies). He attacked everyone with furvor Jews, Muslims, Catholics, and Prostestants not knowing that his legacy was haunted for centuries and would in four centuries be used for justification by oppressing cultures around the world. Three years before his death he advocated against the Jews; 1) setting fire to their synagogues and schools - night of the long knives, 2) destroying their houses and confiscating their prayer books - night of the long knives and book burning, 3) taking their money - foreign bank accounts (Swiss), and 4) putting them into forced labor - concentration camps. Goebbels and the other Nazi's were happy that the writings existed and were published with great success. Luther's condemnation of the Jews was never racial, but were stirred because of the Jews indifference to convert. The Nazi machine constantly used Luther's statements thru repetition convincing most Germans that being a German and being a christian were a racial inheritance and that neither was comparable to being Jewish. Pretending to be christians even though they were anti christians the Nazi's used his later writings to serve their purpose of getting theologically ignorant Germans on their side against the Jews. Today's modern Lutherans in the Baltimore and the world communities would be astounded and shocked at these findings, forcing them to renounce his later writings and work towards better cooperation with all cultures. Some suggestions would be to; 1) read Julius Streicher's publishings of Luther's writings to get a better understanding, 2) Lutherans are peace keepers who will not let this blight keep them down - forge ahead, 3) many Lutheran pastors around the globe are reversing this trend - Pastor Sabatelli (his grandmother was a Russian Jew) and Fries of the Baltimore's Christ Lutheran Church - working to stamp out injustices thru their sermons and works, 4) get a better understanding of the theological doctrine, and 5) recognize the phrase "All men are created equal in the eyes of God". The Baltimore Lutheran community and the rest of the free world will not tolerate such oppression any more. In the words of Dietrich Boenhoeffer, we as a one world community will act as a "bulwark against all trivialization and stagnation, against all the fossilization of intellectual life".
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